1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backup operation of a data file and a computer unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although personal computers have been normally used individually or as a network of the personal computers, in these cases, each personal computer is owned by an individual or an organization such as a company, so that people capable of using the personal computers are limited to a certain degree.
In order to conduct various kinds of information processing, information gathering, and so on, it is necessary to arrange a system such that an individual, a company or the like purchases/rents a personal computer or connects the computer to a network. Particularly, in the case of personal use in a home or the like, the personal computer is not one which can be easily introduced. Thus, it can not be said that the advantage of use of the computer is enjoyed by the majority of people.
Although it appears that with the development of a communication network, electronic information supply to many unspecified people comes into wide use from now on, it has been desired to enable as many people as possible to use the service and the like.
As patent applications in view of these circumstances, there is U.S. patent application Ser. No. 174,290 filed Oct. 16, 1998 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This application relates to a computer system including computer terminals which unspecified many users can arbitrarily use.
In this prior application, computer terminals are disposed in stations and stores like, for example, public telephones, so that many users can perform editing, downloading, uploading, and the like.
In the case where computer terminals are disposed like public telephones so that the public can use them, as a practical problem, it is necessary to design such that measures can be taken at the time of hang-up (freeze) or the like in which the terminal comes not to receive any input.
For example, in the case where hang-up occurs when a user is using a computer terminal to perform operations of file preparation or update, it is quite undesirable that file data under the operations are lost. Especially in the case where a fee is charged for the use of the terminal, the disappearance of the data under the operations gives serious trouble and a loss to the user.
Thus, even in the case where hang-up occurs so that the terminal must be restarted (reset), it is required that data backup is carried out so that the data under the operations are not lost.
In view of the foregoing circumstances, in such a computer system that many unspecified people arbitrarily use and information processing using computers becomes possible, an object of the invention is to enable such backup operation that data loss can be made minimum even in the case where a computer terminal under use is hanged. Another object of the invention is to enable such high backup operation that data can be held even in the case where for example, a backup data storage section (for example, a hard disk drive) in a computer terminal is crashed.
In order to achieve the above objects, according to an embodiment of the invention, a computer system comprises a server and a computer terminal, the server and the computer terminal being connected to be capable of communicating with each other, wherein the computer terminal comprises data processing means for processing a data file; communication means for communicating with the server; and control means for executing an external backup operation to cause the communication means to transmit the data file processed by the data processing means as backup data to the server, and wherein the server comprises receiving means for receiving the data file as the backup data transmitted from the communication means; and storage means for storing the data file received by the receiving means.
Also, in another embodiment of the invention, a computer system comprises a computer unit and a removable recording medium removably mounted to the computer unit, wherein the removable recording medium comprises a record medium main body; and an information recording area provided in the recording medium main body, wherein backup identification information indicating one of a plurality of backup systems is recorded in the information recording area; and wherein the computer unit comprises data processing means for processing a data file; detection means for detecting the backup identification information from the removable recording medium; and control means for backing up the data file processed by the data processing means with backup system based on a detection result of the detection means.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a computer terminal connected with a server to be capable of communicating comprises data processing means for processing a data file; communication means for communicating with the server; and control means for executing an external backup operation to cause the communication means to transmit the data file processed by the data processing means as backup data to the server.
In a still further embodiment of the invention, a computer unit comprises detection means for detecting, from a removable recording medium in which backup identification information indicating one of a plurality of backup systems is recorded, the backup identification information; data processing means for processing a data file; and control means for backing up the data file processed by the data processing means with the backup system based on a detection result of the detection means.
In an even further embodiment of the invention, a recording medium removably loaded to a computer unit comprises recording medium main body; and a backup identification information recording area formed on the recording medium main body; wherein backup identification information indicating one of a plurality of backup systems of the computer unit is recorded in the recording area.